The Business Case for Video Analytics: Understanding the Real ROI

  • By Asaf Weisbrot
  • Nov 06, 2024

For security professionals who may be hesitant to invest in video analytics, now's the time to reconsider. In a newly released Omdia report commissioned by BriefCam (now Milestone Systems), the research firm uncovered a compelling story: more than 85% of North American and European organizations that use video analytics achieve a return on investment within just one year. The study, which surveyed 140 end users across multiple industries, demonstrates that security technology is no longer just for security — it's a cross-organizational tool that delivers measurable business value far beyond traditional safety applications.

From Cost Center to Value Generator
Traditionally, the security industry has struggled with the "cost center" label. But video analytics is helping change that narrative. While protecting people and assets remains paramount, today's solutions can deliver quantifiable benefits that catch the attention of business decision makers across departments and organizations.

Take the banking and finance sector, where according to the research, nearly all users report achieving ROI within 12 months. Or look at manufacturing, where nine out of ten organizations see returns within the same timeframe. These aren't just isolated success stories; they represent a fundamental shift in how businesses now can view video security technology.

For instance, while loss prevention, a security application, leads the pack when it comes to the value add of video analytics, with users reporting significant savings in time, resources, and direct costs, that's just the beginning. Organizations are also finding substantial returns in reduced frontline security costs, streamlined reporting processes, and enhanced operational efficiency.

Making the Business Case
For security professionals, the ability to articulate these benefits is vital. When it comes to traditional security benefits, internal site security and staff safety consistently rank as top priorities and video analytics excels at both. Modern AI-driven video analytics solutions reduce false alarms, improve response times, and handle complex security tasks more efficiently than traditional methods.

But beyond improved security, organizations implementing video analytics report significant improvements in their daily operations through automated reporting features that save staff time and improve accuracy. Resource allocation becomes more precise through data-driven insights, while compliance and regulatory requirements become substantially easier to manage and document. These efficiency gains often translate directly to the bottom line.

The business intelligence capabilities of today's video analytics systems open up new value propositions. Organizations can gain deep insights into customer behavior to support marketing and sales decisions, while traffic pattern analysis helps optimize space utilization. Queue management capabilities improve both customer service and staff deployment efficiency. Some organizations are even discovering applications in inventory management and supply chain optimization.

These operational benefits often emerge as unexpected bonuses for organizations that initially deployed the technology for security purposes. Forward-thinking organizations are already pushing their video analytics to deliver even more value by exploring advanced applications like predictive maintenance, automated quality control, and real-time process optimization.

What's driving this rapid ROI? The answer lies in the technology's versatility across multiple business operations. While traditional security applications remain important, modern video analytics solutions are increasingly being deployed across diverse business functions. Today's robust solutions deliver value through their ability to:

  • Reduce manual monitoring needs
  • Automate incident detection and response
  • Streamline investigation processes
  • Generate valuable business intelligence
  • Support regulatory compliance
  • Enhance operational efficiency

The research shows this versatility translates directly to bottom-line impact. Large enterprises in particular see strong benefits, with many reporting substantial savings in frontline security costs and streamlined reporting processes that extend across multiple departments.

Perhaps most compelling for security professionals is that video analytics presents an opportunity to engage with higher-level decision makers within their organizations. When the conversation extends beyond traditional security to include operational efficiency, business intelligence, and measurable ROI, it often elevates to the C-suite level. This broader business discussion helps position video analytics as a strategic investment rather than just another security expense.

Expanding Business Opportunity
For the security industry, video analytics is, and will continue to be, a critical technology. But now, video analytics also represents a unique shift that is empowering security professionals to share in delivering measurable, ongoing returns. By aligning video analytics capabilities with specific business challenges and objectives, security professionals, in partnership with video analytics solutions, are key to a sustainable business model that grows alongside customers' evolving needs.

Featured

  • Security Today Announces 2025 CyberSecured Award Winners

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 CyberSecured Awards winners. Sixteen companies are being recognized this year for their network products and other cybersecurity initiatives that secure our world today. Read Now

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.